University Prizes and Academic Dress
University Prizes
8.1 In the event of there being no candidate of sufficient merit for any prize, it shall not be awarded.
Undergraduate students
University medals
8.2 University Prizes shall take the form of engraved solid silver medals and shall be awarded annually to students in the final year of an undergraduate programme leading to the award of an honours degree.
8.3 Each School and the Geography Teaching Unit (for the academic years 2005/06 and 2006/07) shall be permitted to nominate two prize winners at the end of each academic session:
- one to the student with the best overall average mark at the end of their undergraduate honours degree programme; and
- one to the student with the best overall mark in a final year project, having followed an undergraduate honours degree programme.
8.4 A School shall not award both prizes to the same student.
8.5 Prize winners shall, normally, be nominated by the appropriate Boards of Examiners. Nominations should be sent by the Chair of the Board to the appropriate Head of School (or his/her nominee), who, when all nominations have been received, will identify the students to whom the awards shall be made, and notify both the Head of Registry, and the students concerned, of the awards.
8.6 A School may make only one award each session for each prize irrespective of the number of programmes for which it is responsible.
Bishop Memorial Prize
8.7 The Bishop Memorial Prize was established in 1990 in memory of Brunel's late Vice- Chancellor, Professor Richard Bishop and is awarded to a student in the School of Engineering and Design for exemplary academic performance and outstanding contribution to the life of the University. Nominations are invited from each Division in June each year and are considered by a Prize Jury. The prize comprises a cheque to the value of £500.
Peter Swain Memorial Prize
8.8 The Peter Swain Memorial Prize is awarded annually to the undergraduate or postgraduate student who has made the most outstanding contribution to the cultural, social or sporting life of the University in his or her programme of study. The Prize consists of a silver medal and a certificate. Nominations are invited from Schools in June each year and are considered by a Prize Jury. The prize comprises a solid silver medal and a certificate.
Margaret Trier Memorial Prize
8.9 The Margaret Trier Memorial Prize was established by the late Dr Peter Trier, a former Chairman of the University Council and Pro-Chancellor, in 1999, in memory of his late wife. The prize is awarded annually to the 'best woman' graduating with a first degree in the School of Engineering and Design, School of Information Systems, Computing and Mathematics, School of Health Sciences and Social Care or the Geography and Earth Sciences Teaching Unit. Nominations are invited from Schools in June each year and are considered by a Prize Jury. The prize comprises a cheque to the value of £200.
Ede and Ravenscroft Prize
8.10 Ede and Ravenscroft, the University's robemakers, currently sponsor an annual prize of £1,000 which is awarded to a Level 2 undergraduate student at Brunel University prior to his/her final year of study.
Taught postgraduate students
8.11 For the academic years 2005/06 to 2007/08, GoldTel will sponsor annual prizes for postgraduate students following taught programmes. The prizes shall be known as the 'Brunel-GoldTel Prize'.
8.12 Each School shall award two prizes in each academic session, one for the 'best student on a taught postgraduate programme and the second for the 'best dissertation' by a student on a taught postgraduate programme.
8.13 The Institute for the Environment and the Geography and Earth Sciences Teaching Unit shall each award one prize in each academic session.
8.14 The Graduate School shall award one prize annually for 'contribution to postgraduate life at Brunel'.
8.15 These prizes are open to all home and overseas students registered for the award of a taught postgraduate programme.
8.16 Each prize winner shall receive a cheque for £400 and a certificate. Certificates, produced by the Registry, will where appropriate indicate whether the prize has been awarded for 'best student' or 'best dissertation'.
8.17 Prize winners shall, normally, be nominated by the appropriate Boards of Examiners during the academic session. Heads of Schools (or nominated representative) shall consider all nominations, and forward names of prize winners to the Head of Registry.
8.18 Heads of Schools/the Graduate School shall inform successful students of the award of the prize.
Research students
8.19 The Vice-Chancellor shall award five prizes in each academic session for doctoral research students. The title of the prize shall be the 'Vice-Chancellor's Prize for Doctoral Research'.
8.20 Academic Schools, the Institute for the Environment, and Specialist Research Institutes shall nominate up to two research students for the prize each session.
8.21 All home and overseas students awarded a doctoral research degree in the current academic session shall be eligible if their thesis was submitted within the maximum period of registration for their mode of study.
8.22 Each prize winner will receive a cheque for £500 and a certificate (produced by the Registry).
8.23 Heads of Schools/the Institute (or their nominated representative) shall forward nominations, including supporting statements, to the Director of Postgraduate Research in the Graduate School by the closing date each year. Any student recommended for award after the closing date shall be eligible for consideration the following year.
8.24 A Panel, chaired by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Graduate Studies), shall select the candidates to be recommended to the Vice-Chancellor for award of prizes on the basis of research excellence evidenced by research papers or other output.
8.25 The Graduate School shall be responsible for informing all those nominated of the final results.
Scheme of Academic Dress
8.26 Non-degree awards (eg. Certificate of Higher Education, Diploma of Higher Education, Postgraduate Diploma) (Up to 1998)
- Gown: Black stuff, Cambridge shape but without open forearm seam.
- Epitage: Black artificial silk with 0.5" turning of Brunel blue velvet all round, inside and out. Trimmed with blue velvet covered button and attached to left shoulder of gown.
- Hat: Black cloth mortar board.
8.27 Non-degree awards (eg. Certificate of Higher Education, Diploma of Higher Education, Postgraduate Diploma) (From July 1999)
- Gown: Black, undergraduate style gown trimmed with Brunel blue velvet ribbon 1" wide on front facings and yoke.
- Hat: Black cloth mortar board.
8.28 First Degree
- Gown: Black stuff, Cambridge shape but without open forearm seam.
- Hood: Special simple shape of black stuff, fully lined white and faced inside 1.5" with Brunel blue velvet. Reversed band showing blue in front.
- Hat: Black cloth mortar board.
- Gown: Black stuff, Cambridge shape but with bottom of hanging sleeve cut straight.
- Hood: Cambridge shape, Brunel blue outside, lined silver and faced inside 2.5" with Brunel blue velvet.
- Hat: Black cloth mortar board.
8.30 Second Higher Degrees (PhD, DBA) (for degrees conferred before June 1996)
- Gown: Mushroom Oxford shape, with 4" facings and 4" cuffs of Brunel blue velvet.
- Hood: Cambridge shape, mushroom outside, lined and edged scarlet, faced inside 3.5" with Brunel blue velvet.
- Hat: Black cloth bonnet, scarlet cord and tassel.
- Gown: Mid blue panama in traditional London style with 2" gold silk facings, edged with 1" scarlet ribbon. Self-lined mid blue panama sleeves. Sleeves and yoke trimmed with scarlet cord and button.
- Hood: Mid blue panama in full shape with square cape, fully lined and edged 1" cape only in gold silk. Cowl edged inside with 1" scarlet ribbon. Neck band to show blue panama to the front.
- Hat: Black cloth bonnet, scarlet cord and tassel
8.32 Third Higher Degrees [DUniv (Hon.only), DD, DEd, DEng, DHum, DLitt, DMus, DSc, DSocSci, DTech, LLD]
8.33 Degree of MUniv (Hon.only)
- Gown: Scarlet, Oxford shape, with 6" facings and 7" cuffs in Brunel blue velvet.
- Hood: Cambridge shape, scarlet outside, lined and edged gold and faced inside 4.5" with Brunel blue velvet.
- Hat: Black velvet bonnet, gold cord and tassel.
